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Hip Hop Star Wyclef Jean of Fugees fame was back in Jersey talkin’ politics on Thursday. Although there are issues that I disagree on with Wyclef at least he’s got the guts to speak his mind thoughtfully. As celebrity after celebrity loses their minds over the Trump Presidency, (See: Eminem and Kathy Griffin as just two examples) Wyclef is asking people to learn the issues and then get vocal. It’s refreshing to hear someone who clearly can have an impact on younger voters taking a reasonable stand.

In about four weeks, voters will elect a mayor in New York City and a governor in New Jersey. With all the challenges facing local residents from transportation to taxes it’s incredible that the candidates leading in the polls do nothing except talk about President Donald Trump and national issues. It’s time to hold politicians accountable before they win office. Let’s hear real plans about public transportation fixes in the NYC and in Jersey. And what about the fact that NJ has become unaffordable to average working and middle class families? It’s time we hear real plans to fix what’s broken instead of partisan talking points that serve no one except the candidates ambition.

There are two major elections coming up in our area in a few weeks. One for mayor in NYC and another for governor in New Jersey. But does anyone care? Are people even paying attention? There are plenty of people acting out through protests and social media rants, but how many of those angry people will vote? The most important tool we have as Americans is the right to vote. Put the signs down and use it.

Vice President Mike Pence left the Colts game this weekend after several members of the 49ers took a knee for the Anthem. Some thought it was a publicity stunt. The fact remains that VP Pence is a thoughtful, patriotic leader who has been consistent throughout the take-a-knee controversy. He’s also a die-hard Colts fan. He’s got a history of going to the games back when he was Governor of Indiana. Not everything is for ‘optics’. Sometimes you just react to bad behavior and stand up for what’s right.

And while I have you here, let me take a moment to address the growing, and somewhat annoying, controversy that surrounds Columbus Day. There are too many people out there who are jumping to all sorts of conclusions, throwing around terms like “genocide” without all of the facts. So if you’re brave enough to hear a little truth, check out my article here and let me help you understand who Christopher Columbus really was.

We’ve had a week of tragedy and heroism. Millions still recovering in Puerto Rico as donations pour in and local first responders head to the area. A massacre in Las Vegas where a gunman killed 58 innocent concert goers and injured more than 500. While politicians debate policy the stories of individual heroism emerge. From a local man saving people by helping them over the barricade to the man who got his pregnant future wife out of harm’s way. Then there’s the wounded man in a Vegas hospital who insisted on standing to greet the First Lady and the President. Americans stand and act in the face of evil and disasters. This week showed our resilience, strength and unity as a nation.

The race to replace Governor Christie is in high gear and only five weeks out. The Republican candidate Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno has pulled closer to Democratic nominee, Phil Murphy. Why is the race so close in New Jersey where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly two to one? Simple answer is taxes. They’re too high for the average middle class and working class family to afford. Kim Guadagno has a plan to lower them and Phil Murphy has pledged to raise taxes in order to pay for many new programs. Could this be a repeat of the Corzine/Christie battle in 2009? Five weeks to go…

Despite what any casual observer should be able to see as major successes, President Trump’s detractors are so upset and still in disbelief that the first woman President of the United States won’t be Hillary Clinton, they vilify his every utterance and every decision.

The President campaigned on creating jobs at home, curbing illegal immigration, strengthening the economy and making government work for people better than it ever has. On pretty much every front, except for the failure so far to repeal Obamacare (See:Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell) the President is on track.

As the Caribbean recovers, the Federal Government’s response has been swift, intense and productive. 4,000 members of the Army National Guard have been deployed along with 2,600 personnel from the Department of Defense spread across the Caribbean. Hundreds of emergency airlifts, tens of thousands of pounds of food and hundreds of thousands of liters of water, generators and medical supplies. Unfortunately, instead of praising the incredible job of the DoD, FEMA and other arms of the U.S Government for a rapid and effective response, the President’s detractors would rather play politics and attack his words and tweets. Do people simply not remember the disaster that FEMA was in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? Isn’t it perfectly clear that when you hire a strong, organized, experienced leader, things get done?

A couple hundred NFL players protested the National Anthem on Sunday by sitting, kneeling or staying behind in the locker room. Whatever your take, the battle lines are drawn between President Trump, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and players across the league. It’s time to call out what the entitled, spoiled, rich brats in the NFL who are simply not victims. The real problems impacting minority communities are a lack of economic and educational opportunities in our cities. One solution is the need for a stronger law enforcement presence to protect these communities from gangs and criminals.

There’s a lot of discussion about the dangers of tackle football, especially when it comes to head injuries. As much as the NFL seems to have downplayed the risks as it may hurt their recruiting efforts, I strongly support youth tackle. Leadership, toughness, courage and teamwork can all be learned at a young age by kids taking a step onto the gridiron. My wife and I have encouraged our son to play and play it right.